ONE

My baby is turning one. ONE. I can't believe it. It feels like just yesterday I was finding out about her and now she's been in our lives for a year. She's been changing our lives for a year. Loving us. Needing us. For a year.

This time last year we were getting ready for her. Everything was clean and put away. We had a plan in place and were ready to move at a moment's notice. My feet were being propped up, I was lacking sleep, and anxiety was building. And then she came. Little, happy, and perfect.

I love that little girl. So much. She surprises me with all she knows and how much she already loves. She plays and snuggles equally. She's super sweet and easy going and also so independent and strong-willed. The perfect mixture of Phillip and me. I couldn't ask for better.

And now, as we plan her first birthday party, we're thankful for her even more. Our lives have never been so busy. So exhausting. So full. I wouldn't trade it.

Get ready for the cutest circus-themed birthday party you've ever seen. :)

Cystic Fibrosis

What a whirlwind of a month. Sorry for not posting.

Cystic Fibrosis.

A phrase that never meant anything to us - until now.

With all of the battery of tests Elayne has undergone for her chronic cough, this was an easy one to eliminate. She passed her newborn screening for it, after all. And my tests during pregnancy all came back normal too.

But then her results came back elevated. Not positive or negative. Just elevated.

So for that past month, we have monitored weight and coughs and surfed the internet for answers. Until this week when we finally had a follow up appointment with her pulmonologist (after what felt like months). His diagnosis? Negative for Cystic Fibrosis. His reasoning? His patients who have Cystic Fibrosis have results off-the-charts and hers were simply elevated.

But.

BUT!?

Because her levels weren't off-the-charts low, the pulmonologist thinks a combination of the three of us are carriers for Cystic Fibrosis. While not devastating, this news has the potential to affect our future plans and possibly Elayne's future plans too.

In the meantime, she officially has asthma/reactive airway disease, allergies, and acid reflux-induced congestion. She is on breathing treatments for the foreseeable future and will hopefully outgrow all of it in the future. Will keep you posted!

School Update

I feel like I haven't updated you readers about school in a very long time. Therefore, I think it's time for an update!

Yes I am still in school and still going strong. I am more-than succeeding and love my program. All these courses make me fired up about health and teaching soon. This semester I am taking "Psychosocial Aspects of Health Care" and "Strategies of Health Education Delivery." What a great line up!

I will graduate with my MS in Health Studies in May 2015 - so close!!!! This fall will be my hardest semester yet, but I am definitely looking forward to it. I will learn a lot. This fall I have to complete a 90 hour practicum (aka internship) with an approved facility. It'll be great to get all of that experience, but with a full family calendar and still working 40 hours, it will be quite the challenge. My other course is through the school of education. It's hybrid - meaning most of it is online, but I will have to attend night classes 7 days during the semester. As if I need more things to keep me from home and fill up my calendar. It'll be an exciting course to give me an even deeper understanding of education.

It will be busy, but luckily Phillip and my family/friends are willing and able to help out when we need them - and we will. It'll be a rough couple of months but worth it when I walk across that stage and can be called "Master Ashley".

And what's after that? After graduation? Well naturally, a PhD!!! Parker has some goals that include a PhD program in Educational Leadership. If that pans out, I am diving in for a great price (free)! Anxious about that already. But I am built for education. For higher education. For advanced education.

Look at me go!

Some Day

Some day I will get caught up on the laundry.
Some day I will not hit the snooze button and wake up at the time I need to.
Some day I will get to come home and just relax.
Some day I will organize the pantry. And garage. And the kitchen cabinets. And my life.
Some day I will redecorate the guest bedroom and finally hang things on the walls.
Some day I will update more frequently on this blog to keep you informed.
Some day I will sit down to write notes to friends/family just because.
Some day I will take the day/night "off" to go do something just for me.

Day in the Life

Some days I marvel at how chaotic life gets

Leave work fifteen minutes later than planned.
Hit traffic driving to JCPenny to get Elayne.
During traffic, I jam to entirely too many classic rock tunes - is this a sign of my age? Am I getting old? The new stuff just bores me.
Turn up the A/C since it's so hot.
Sit in more traffic. Pull up to the slow area only to find there is no reason for said slow traffic.
Turn A/C down because now it's freezing.
Contemplate taking the toll road to get home faster or use the free feeder road with stop lights I can shoot quick texts at.
Take free feeder road.
Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Stop. Go.
Get to Elayne's child care center pretty much 45 minutes after I leave work. Why does it take this long? Oh yeah. Stoplights. Maybe I'll consider the toll road next time. Wait no. That's so expensive.
Finally pull into the parking garage. Hunt for a "child care" designated spot. Why are the JCPenny employees so lazy? They drive from their assigned spots to these spots just so they don't have to walk that far. But come to think of it, I'd probably do the same thing. So nevermind.
Found a spot. Parked.
Leave the purse in the car or bring it in? Such a struggle. There is a security officer at the crosswalk. He'd hear if someone broke into my car for my purse. And I'm not too far from him. But he doesn't look like he'd be quick enough to chase him. And then who would hold the stop sign up so parents and employees and children can cross safely? And does he even have a gun? This is probably what would go through his head and he heard the window smashing.
Take purse inside.
Swipe card to get into child care center. But nothing happens. Oh yeah there is a trick. I remember. You can stand in these four floor tiles, but if you step even a toe in those six, the door won't open. Got it. Excuse me while I practice my yoga moves.
I'm in!
Gotta log her out of the computer.
Phillip got here at 7:47 today!? Must have been running late.
Time for the stroller closet. The dreaded closet. Parents with these monster strollers come in like they own the place. Meanwhile our sensible travel stroller is folded up neatly along the wall. Buried behind tanker strollers made for families of six when they only have one baby. Who can walk. And doesn't need a stroller anymore. But mama holds on to it still.
Pull up to Elayne's room. I swear that's her scream I hear from the hall. Oh man I hope that's not her. Don't pawn off a screaming child on me. I pay you guys too much money for that.
Phew. It's not Elayne. It's Sara. Always Sara. Stranger Danger Sara. With the beauitful eyes.
We need diapers again!? We just gave you a huge pack last week. You guys seriously need to think about changing her less.
Where did she get that pacifier from? Yeah, that one in her mouth. Nope. That's not hers. Oh well. It does the job and is one less we have to buy. YOLO.
What is she wearing? Oh. Yeah. Phillip dressed her. Stripes and polka dots? Hot pink, bright blue, and red? Don't care enough to change her.
Now she's screaming. You let her sleep through her last feeding and she hasn't eaten anything since 2:30!? Sweet. But can't complain since sometimes we drop her off in the same mood.
In the car seat. Got it all? Yes baby. Have a bottle.
Finally back to the car. Was that walk that long on the way in? I feel like this has been a marathon walking back.
Time to drive. Wait. No. Gotta stop for crossing children.
Now leaving.
Hitting the stop lights again to avoid tolls.
Stop. Go. Stop. Go. Stop. Go.
Finally pull into the garage two hours after work ends.
Time to relax.

Wait. No....

Things I've Learned in 3 Years of Marriage

It's hard to believe we have been married for three years now. THREE. Crazy how time flies.

In my tons of years of experience (sarcasm) I have learned a few things about marriage and relationships. Here are just a few of my infinite words of wisdom...

1. There is almost always a bigger fish to fry. No matter how angry I get or frustrated I am, I need to pick my battles. Sometimes the dirty socks that never make it to the laundry basket aren't as important as I thought. It's about balance and deciding when you should say something and when you should let it go.

2. Try not to fight in front of people. This has always been a relationship rule of mine, and now that we have Elayne it is even more important. No one likes dirty laundry aired out and frankly, it's no ones business. The more opinions you have on a situation, the more blame can be compounded. Plus, one of the biggest things Phillip have working in our favor is 100% support from our family and friends. That support would be diminished by tiny arguments inundating those closest to us 24/7. Plus, when you are forced to "table" arguements and discussion until you are in private, it gives you a nice cooling off time and perspective. May times, we find that we don't remember what we were mad at in the first place.

3. It's okay to go to bed angry - but not inconsolable. Anger isn't necessarily a bad thing. And sometimes you need some sleep to give you a nice cool down (see number 2). As long as you know that you still love each other and can end the evening on good terms by agreeing to disagree, it's okay to fall asleep angry. Sometimes you're just tired and no amount of staying up late to get to the bottom of things is going to change your sour mood. I find that Phillip isn't the best communicator when he is upset and just wants to be left alone. If I were to keep him up for hours trying to force nonexistent conversation out of him, it would just make the situation worse.

4. Love, comfort, communication, and moods come in waves. We have bad days. We have bad weeks. Sometimes things just feel "off." It doesn't mean it's the end of our relationship or we've run out of things to talk about or that we are doomed to fail at marriage. It just means we have a bit of a lull that will make us appreciate the good times when they come back.

5. Put up or shut up. When we said forever on our wedding day, we meant forever. There is no exit strategy. We are both in it for the long run. Therefore, when things get complicated, we either fix it or accept it and move on. Much like number one, there are bigger things in life to worry about. No passive aggressive post-it note or overly loud grumble is going to change him/me. So we accept the things we can change about each other and also the things the other doesn't want to change.

I love him. He loves me. We make it work. We are not perfect but I like to think we've already stood a big test of time and have accomplished great things together. We are a team first and foremost. Best friends. Loving spouses. Wonderful parents. Trying to make it work one load of dishes at a time.

Cabin Weekend

It's time for us to get away. I mean, really get away.

That means it's time to head to the cabin.

Elayne will be with my parents and Phillip's throughout the weekend while we trek to east Texas with a few friends for quiet, rest, and lots of nothingness. No chores. No laundry. No obligations. No to-dos. A lot of nothingness.

Really looking forward to it.

The Cough That Still Won't Stop

The coughing saga continues, y'all.

Elayne is still coughing. And we still are having to go through doctors and tests to see what is causing the cough. Tests are coming back "normal" for someone with chronic cough and congestion. Meaning, the doctors keep seeing the inflammation and redness on her x-rays and procedures, and observe the congestion repeatdely. However, no cause is to be found.

A lot of what we're doing is trial and error. We've ruled out almost all of the major worrisome causes of cough and congestion. Now our goal is to treat the symptoms and observe as she gets older, hoping she'll eventually grow out of it.

Laryngoscope - signs of redness, swelling, and congestion but no abnormalities.
Swallow Study - slight aspiration in fast-flow nipples, which is typical of  babies.
Allergy Testing - negative for allergens.
Formula Changes - no improvements observed.
Inhaler - no improvements observed.
Acid Reflux Medication - no improvements observed.
Two Allergy Nasal Sprays - no improvements observed.
Chest X-ray - signs of inflammation characteristic of a chronic cough.

No we are on to breathing treatments, an Upper GI scan to see more areas other tests couldn't, and a Cystic Fibrosis screen that will almost certainly come out negative (just performing it for definite results).

Winning or Losing?

It's taken me a bit to write this post. I don't really know where to begin.

Last week my beloved grandmother passed away due to complications associated with lung cancer.

Someone put the cause as "losing the battle with cancer." A battle in which someone wins and someone loses? Huh. Not sure how I feel about that one.

I'm not sure there is ever a winner with cancer. And I'm not sure someone who can finally escape the pain of this world and live with their creator in heaven is considered a loser. Linda didn't win. And she certainly didn't lose. She's just gone.

She's gone and we're left here to remember her until we see her again. Holding on to the memories... that's the tough part. Remembering the smells and feelings but struggling to remember every detail of her face. The pain in never being able to remember everything but never being able to forget other things.

Loss.

Bluebonnet Baby

So as most of you know, Texas is known for its April showing of bluebonnets. I mean they are GORGEOUS!

A couple weekends ago, we set out on an adventure to Ennis, Texas - the bluebonnet capital of the world. It was their annual Bluebonnet Trail and Festival. We got some adorable photos of the family and our sweet baby girl.

Thought I'd share. :)

Emmitt!

As if you thought we'd last long without another pet...



Here is Emmitt.

A beautiful (now 9.5 week old) black lab mix. Likely mixed with a Black Mouth Cur. He is adorable and so lazy - a great change from hyperactive Murphy. We adopted him from the Dallas Animal Shelter's setup at a local Petsmart. We took Elayne and set her down on the floor with all five from the litter and reduced the amount puppy-by-puppy until we decided on Emmitt. Yes his name is short for Emmitt Smith - we name our animals after professional athletes in our house (David Murphy, Derek Holland, Emmitt Smith, etc.

Elayne loves dogs. Like loooooooves them. It's crazy how excited and happy she gets around them. She makes a sound we've never made her make before. It's adorable. Which is why we decided to get us her a puppy. Yay for new family additions!

He loves Elayne. So patient with her and she loves grabbing his face, fur, and tail. They are truly a match and I can't wait to see them grow together and form that wonderful bond.

Easter/Shopping/5K

Alright, so a quick recap post since I haven't posted in what seems like forever...


1. Easter
This year was on of my absolute favorite Easters of all time. It was so wonderful! Breakfast was pancakes with my little family. Then a nap with Elayne. First lunch was with my parents - complete with dying eggs and an egg "hunt" for Elayne's first Easter! Next was dinner at the Longs' on the porch as the rain came down. So relaxing. So wonderful. So much love.

2. Shopping
Last week I also received my referral bonus from work! Heather has been a great addition to Parker and has made it more than 90 days. Hooray! To celebrate, we took my bonus and spent the whole thing on work clothes. It was wonderful. Lots of really good deals and twin time. It was nice spending our day off (Good Friday) together and splurging on ourselves with no guilt.


3. 5K
Yes readers, you read right. I did a 5K. This wasn't a straight running 5K, but the Hit and Run 5K. Picture the show Wipe Out. Five obstacles to complete. I fell on my face quite a few times, ended up with some bruises and walked some of the way. But I did it! I finished it! A bucket list item crossed off.

So what have you done recently?

Swallow Study

Since the ENT and allergist both cleared Elayne of physical abnormalities and food allergies, it was on to the next test for us - a swallow study.


A swallow study is conducted by a Speech Language Pathologist and Radiologist. Everyone was convinced this test would come back positive and we'd instantly know Elayne's issue. Her formula was mixed at various consistencies and combined with a barium mixture to show up on an x-ray machine. We watched as she swallowed and the SLP walked us through what was happening.


Then the results.


NORMAL.


What!? Normal!? How could it be normal? And not only normal, but she found no evidence of reflux either. Both issues were pretty much hypothesized to be the definite cause of the chronic cough and congestion. We have been giving Elayne massive doses of antacids because they have been convinced this was it.


But now it isn't.


I must admit, we were really hoping the test would come back abnormal. Arguably, a swallowing issue would have been the fastest, easiest, cheapest, shortest term diagnosis. We could have handled it. We could have followed recommendations and cleared up her issue ASAP. We would have had answers.


And now, we don't. No answers. Still coughing. Still sad for our baby. Still frustrating.


So what's next? Well, on to another doctor. This time we will be seeing a Pulmonologist on April 29th. We have no clue what they'll say or do. But hopefully this will give us answers and her relief. Maybe asthma? Maybe fluid in her lungs? Who knows. But hopefully we will finally find out.

Allergies Shm-allergies

Great news, y'all!!!

Elayne does not have allergies. As in, she is definitely not allergic to milk, dogs, soy, mold, cats, etc. Isn't that some of the best news you've heard in a while???

We went to the allergist last week and he ran a test. It was a simply test that showed definitive results within 20 minutes. It was a relief to cross more things off our list. And while it didn't give us a definite answer to what is causing the cough, it gave us a list of things that are not causing it.

Plus, the allergist agrees with the ENT - which is awesome. Both are really starting to believe Elayne is aspirating of some kind. That means she is essentially swallowing "down the wrong tube" consistently. That is making her cough. If left untreated, it could cause some serious things like chronic pneumonia, bronchitis, etc. But if this is her problem, we can easily (and cheaply) find solutions that will give her a happy cough-free life.

I know I sound optomistic every time someone suggests a theory for why baby girl is coughing so much, but this time (since we've ruled out so many other things) I feel like we might have a solution. Two doctors agree this is a strong possibility for an explanation.

We go in for a swallow study Friday. Elayne will drink some glow-in-the-dark stuff and a radiologist will look at her with special cameras to see how she swallows. A Speech Pathologist (shoutout to Lauren!) will then evaluate the results on-site and tell us what to do next.

My understanding is, if this test comes back positive, that the Speech Pathologist might suggest formula alterations, exercises, feeding/sleeping positions, etc. to help Elayne stop aspirating.

Here's hoping again!

7 Months Old!

Yesterday we went to Houston so Elayne could meet her great grandparents for the first time! It was  blast and I hope they enjoyed her as much as she enjoyed them.

And here is your 7 month post…

Height: 26.5 inches

Weight: 15 pounds

She sits up all by herself!

Holding her bottle all by herself too.

She'll crawl any second now.

Growing so fast.

Loves playing with her feet.

Sleeping better through the night.

Cutting teeth.

Christmas 2013 Pictures

Can you see my theme of belated posts here? Did I tell you I was busy, or what? Sheesh.

Here are the photos from our Christmas photo shoot I am finally sharing with all of you readers. Isn't my baby just absolutely gorgeous!?

6 Months [Really Late] Post

Y'all I am awful. I'm SO SORRY for this post being so late. I promise, the picture and stats were definitely done last month (scout's honor) but for some reason, I am just now uploading it all to my computer. We have been kind of busy doing what seems like absolutely nothing.

Really. What do we have to show for being incredibly busy the past month? A semi-clean house, 3 huge piles of laundry instead of 5, and clean kitchen counters for the first time in months (this is a BIG deal). So here we go!

Goober.

Height: 26 inches

Weight: 13 pounds 11 ounces

Rolling over like crazy.

Starting to push up.

Eating baby food and cereal regularly.

Still having issues with food allergy/respiratory issues.

Getting really vocal.

Sitting up with assistance.

And for my tardiness, you get a BONUS 6 month picture! ;)

New Car!!!

Yesterday, Phillip said so-long to his Civic SI from his "younger, wilder" days and said hello to a new more family-friendly car.

Bye bye!!!

Say hello to his new RED Mazda 3! It's automatic, top-of-the-line, and has more room for baby and mommy. Plus, it has a hatchback.

Hello!!!!!!

RIP Holland

Holland died suddenly in his sleep last night.

I miss you already, cuddly fluffy bunny.

:(

Norovirus

Tuesday night was rough, y'all. I mean ROUGH.

At 4pm I was feeling perfectly fine and ready to get home from work. But by 5pm, the nausea I was feeling was so overwhelming I could hardly drive. Then by 5:30, I was vomiting every 15 minutes. That is not an exaggeration on my part. I am serious.

I thought it was something bad I had eaten. Or maybe just a little bug. But it kept going. And going. And going. I couldn't keep water down, much less medicine. I started shaking, started crying, started feeling like this was never going to end.

So by this time, we had tried going to bed. Phillip was sound asleep. Elayne was asleep. But I was still having to run to the bathroom every 15 minutes. So I woke Phillip up, we piled into the car with our sleeping baby, and headed to the Emergency Room. I needed fluids and I needed them right then.

Within 20 minutes of an IV of fluids and anti-nausea meds (Hello Zofran, my sweet sweet friend, I missed you so much), I was feeling so much better. I got a dose of antibiotics (for some reason this bug was responding to antibiotics in other patients so I said go for it), and a GI cocktail as well.

Norovirus and Gastroenteritis = the diagnosis. It is running rampant up here in the DFW area. So watch out y'all.

After my meds and some prescriptions to boot, it was off to bed. I felt tons better but was so exhausted. My body had been put through the ringer. I slept from 12am, when we got home, to 10am. I woke up for some water and then literally slept from 11am to 5pm. I picked up Elayne from school, had some soup for dinner, and was back in bed to sleep by 9pm. I needed that sleep.

I think that might have been the worst I have ever felt from being sick. That was truly awful. And in case you were wondering, clogged toilets while you have a stomach bug might be the worst thing ever. So gross.

Plumbing Master

Sometimes I wonder how I've made it through life all these years. I wonder how I managed to get through a bachelors degree - and almost a masters degree - plus keeping a home and having a baby.

I wonder this because at times, I do really stupid things. I mean really stupid.

Like the other night, when I was cleaning the house. I saw a wonderful idea on Pinterest I just had to try. Why? Because Pinterest said I should and some pinner who pinned this pin a million times before me, swore up and down that it was the best cleaning tip since the invention of the vacuum cleaner. You're sold, right? I was too.

Never mind the fact that it sounds ridiculous in hindsight. I mean, hello, did I not think it through? Naturally, this "tip" failed in a big big way.

What was it, you ask? Well. This Pinterest pin said to take one of those fancy Magic Erasers, cut them in half, and put one half in each toilet. Let it sit, it will dissolve, and then you'll have the cleanest toilets this side of the Mississippi!

I told you I wasn't thinking. I told you I have stupid moments. Yes, I tried it. Yes, they clogged both toilets. No we did not have a plunger anywhere in sight (ummm I know I bought one at one point in time but I guess we've moved sixteen thousand times since then). And yes, they clogged at 10pm when we were getting ready for bed.

I dragged Phillip out of bed while I tried to handle the soaking wet floors that were pooling up from the overflow. He drove to the store to get not one but two plungers - I wasn't going to take any chances. He came back. I became a master plumber. And we're still dealing with slow running toilets. Ugh.

I'm stupid.

Not So Fast

The new formula doesn't work.

Yeah. It's been quite the upset for us too.

After Elayne's chiropractic adjustment success, her wheezing, congestion, and coughing went down tremendously. We thought we were finished with it. But low and behold, the adjustment cured the day-to-day allergic reaction, but not the root cause.

Since Saturday, it's been really easy to notice when she does have congestion, coughing, and wheezing. And that time is halfway through a bottle until about 15 minutes after eating. Yep. Textbook food allergy. Her stomach is also not handling the formula well at all like we originally thought.

While the reaction is a million times better than when we started this process a couple weeks ago, we aren't there yet. The pediatrician has giving us one final expensive formula to try. If this one doesn't work, we'll have to resort to even more expensive prescription formula. Even with insurance taking care of half the bill, it's way more expensive than even the fancy over-the-counter special stuff we're using.

I'm thankful our pediatrician has free samples. And I'm thankful that those free samples will also be available once we pinpoint what formula Elayne needs. While inconvenient to drive to pick them up on a weekly basis, the gas is cheaper than the formula.

Prayers would be appreciated that we find the perfect formula to bring Elayne to a stress-free eating routine. And it'd be nice if the over-the-counter stuff works so we can utilize coupons.

Milk/Whey/Seasonal/Everything Allergy

Elayne officially has an allergy to cow's milk.

This saga pretty much began when she was born, although we didn't realize that until we started looking back. She's always had, what we called, "seasonal allergies." She always had a cough, was congested, had some drainage, etc. And sometimes, she had a combination of all three.

Our pediatrician suggested early on that it might be a food allergy, but we wanted to see if it would clear up on its own since Elayne loved the formula she was on. Months went by with no improvement. But then a couple of weeks ago, Elayne got even worse. She couldn't lay down to fall asleep and would wake up coughing every night. It was quite pitiful.

We took her into the pediatrician once again, this time determined to get to the bottom of things. Again, he suggested it might be a food allergy and this time we were ready to hear that. We started with a whey-based formula, which most babies with a food allergy take really well. The way I understand it, milk-based formula is made up of two parts - whey and milk protein. When babies initially show signs of an allergic reaction, it is to the milk protein. Therefore, a 100% whey formula is best.

However, this formula made Elayne even worse. We immediately had to change to another formula that contains neither whey nor milk protein in its natural state. Soy formula won't work either, since most babies who are allergice to milk/whey are also allergic to soy. Hmph.

With the change, we saw marked improvement. Elayne still had some wheezing as a result of drainage. But we pretty much realized that was probably due to seasonal allergies on top of the food allergy. Can't catch a break.

But this weekend we turned a corner. Elayne had her first chiropractic adjustment! I know what you're thinking... how is this crazy woman okay with having a chiropractic intern snapping her wee little baby's neck!? woah there tiger. That's not at all what they do with babies. Nope. With babies it's more like a little massage.

And her wheezing is gone. Just with one appointment. It still happens every once in a while. We go back twice a week for two weeks, then once a week for two weeks, then once a month. And that should solve everything. I am even more of a believer of chiropractic care now!

Sweet pea is on the mend and hopefully that much closer to feeling better.

5 Months Old!

Be ready for a slew of new posts since I have a weekend at home to catch up. ;)

Height: 25.5 inches

Weight: 13.2 pounds 

Rolling over, even though I have yet to see it.

Sleeping without being swaddled.

Eating cereal and about to start new foods.

Trying to get to the bottom of a food allergy.

Poor Max Puppy

Remember this "little" fella?

My first dog.

I got him in college. Of course I was too young to take care of a dog on my own and not ready. So thankfully, Phillip's parents took him in as their own. And boy did they ever fall in love with him.

Phillip's dad especially became quite fond of him.

Last week, it was discovered that Max had pretty advanced cancer complete with an inoperable tumor. After an agonizing week of tests, Max was put to sleep.

It was the best decision, but still a hard one.

Prayers for continue acceptance and not missing his big ol' head in their laps too too much.

Holland!

No. Not the country. The bunny rabbit.

Here he is.

So adorable!

He is 10 weeks today and is a pure bred, show quality (pedigree to prove it), broken torte dwarf Holland Lop. He will be about 3 pounds at full size and his ears will stay down permanently. He is so cute!

Rabbits are extremely low maintenance, pretty loving, and with proper care and handling, can be model citizens in the pet world. He loves hopping around, is a little skiddish while getting used to his surroundings here, and is pretty good with Elayne. They ignore each other for the most part. He sniffs her head. She accidentally kicks him. She laughs when mommy chases him around the house - daddy laughs too.

One big[ger] happy family!

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Ever have one of those moments in life where you question things? I mean really question things. Like when bad things happen to good people and when some people just can't catch a break?

This week I've been quite thoughtful about this area. It seems like things are happening all around me and there is nothing I can do about it but pray. And maybe that's all I'm supposed to do. And maybe that's all I need to do.

When a phenomenal person is put on a double lung transplant list because God just might be ready to call His angel home. When a great friend is forced with yet another potential loss to overcome. When a student doesn't have the means to afford a place to stay. When someone is so tired they need rest, and yet can't find it. When getting ahead puts you further behind. When you just don't get it. When others around you are trying to stay afloat and you don't have any life savers to toss them.

Nearly helpless.

But I'll keep praying. Because that's all I can do and maybe that's all I'm supposed to do.

Join me in praying?

For Cereal

Last night, my baby grew up. When did that happen??? It feels like she spent a long time just hanging out for a few months and then WHAM! She's growing every single day. She goes to sleep one way and wakes up so much older. Time is flying and I'm desperately trying to hang on.

Last night. Last night, we introduced cereal. Now. I know what you're thinking.

"I thought you were going to wait until she was at least six months old."
"You said she wouldn't have cereal until she could sit up on her own."
"What about all of those studies that link to early cereal eating to obesity?"

Sigh.

Another way parenting changes you.

I still believe that Elayne isn't old enough for solids. I still believe we shouldn't rush her into anything she isn't ready for. And I still believe that what/how a child eats in early life sets him/her up for future eating habits. None of that has changed.

However, what has changed is talking with Elayne's pediatrician. Last week he suggested giving her a little bit to help her sleep through the night. She slept through the night consistently before she got sick last month, but since has regressed and still wakes up once through the night. Feeding her cereal right before bed should help with that.

The pediatrician also believes in extremely slow weaning - which I can totally get on board with. We're talking like 2 Tbs of cereal each night guys. And that's plenty for the time being. Gradually she'll work her way up to a full meal, and then adding it to the rest of the day, and so on. We won't start her on other foods for a while. And I am more than okay with that.

So last night we tried it. I anxiously sifted through the millions of bowls/spoons/bibs/cereals/accessories at BRU yesterday. Found the best practical deal. Made sure I picked a cereal exactly in line with the pediatrician's recommendations. Used coupons. And wha-la!

Then came the tricky part. Letting Elayne try it. We waited until she was halfway through a bottle, as directed, set Elayne up in her brand new highchair that came in Saturday, then we were ready to begin.

So without further ado, I give you -- Elayne the cereal eater!

Babies Ruin Bodies

Today I needed this.

This.

Perspective.